Do you own an ATV (all terrain vehicle)?  Every year, thousands of people are injured in ATV related accidents.  Many individuals mistakenly think that their homeowner’s insurance policy or their auto insurance policy will cover them for ATV accidents.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  Both the homeowner’s insurance policy and the auto insurance policy exclude coverage for ATVs.  In addition, mopeds and jet skis generally fall under these exclusions as well.

Consult with your insurance agent for further details.  Feel free to comment if you would like my response.

If you own an ATV, check out the following article for some safety tips.

Exercise Caution with Your ATV

Over 16 million Americans enjoy the experience of operating an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Unfortunately, approximately 600 people die each year and nearly 122,000 are injured each year due to ATV accidents. Injuries and accidents are particularly common for children under age 16. If you own an ATV or operate one, you should advise your insurance agent accordingly to verify that you have proper liability and physical damage coverage in place. In addition, the following safety tips should be followed.

• Children should be allowed to operate only age-appropriate or “youth” ATVs.  Most youth ATV-related deaths and injuries occur while operating “adult” ATVs.  No child under age 6 should ever be allowed to ride or operate an ATV.
• Most ATVs are designed for only one person, so children should not take on passengers or be passengers on their parents’ ATV.
• ATVs should not be driven on paved roads. Because of how they are designed, ATVs are difficult to control on paved roads. Collisions with other vehicles on the road can prove fatal.
• ATV operators should never drive an ATV without a helmet. Wearing a certified motorcycle helmet can dramatically decrease the chances of a head injury while operating the ATV.
• All operators should complete a “hands on” ATV training course.  A single class is estimated to be equal to one year of experience. Reputable ATV dealers often provide these classes free of charge to their customers.

Get more personal lines insurance and risk management tips and ideas from IRMI.

Copyright 2009
International Risk Management Institute, Inc.

Wassup!?!?!

I was stuck on what topic to write about in my first ever blog post. Surfing, softball, parenthood and auto insurance may not seem to have anything in common to you. But for me, they’re all a big part of my life (though not necessarily in that order).

Well, surfing might have been the most important thing the last few days! It was nice to have a pretty good south swell before the traditional Mother’s Day swell, which typically starts out the summer. Unfortunately, I didn’t get out in the water until Friday and Saturday, when the swell was petering out. My brother caught Shark Country in Ewa on Wednesday. He said it was really good — and no crowd.

I’ve been playing softball on Sundays at the Kahala field for around 15-20 years now. So long, I can’t even remember when I started in the league! I’m not one of the best players, but I enjoy it! When I was younger (in my 20s), I played a lot more often. Nowadays, once a week is enough.

I have two wonderful (most of the time) daughters. They are 8 and 5. Parenting sure changes everything in your life. I think a part of it is realizing the responsibility you have to bring up well-behaved kids. My own parents tell me I’m too strict with my daughters. But who do you think I learned parenting from? I don’t get it. I’m like the bad guy to my daughters and my parents. What’s up with that?

What the heck does auto insurance have to do with any of this? Well, I sell insurance so I know a lot about auto insurance. If you want to know what’s covered and what’s not covered under your auto insurance policy, just let me know.